Customer Reviews

Ricochet River

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Robin Cody's award-winning RICOCHET RIVER is available in a new and improved 2005 edition. The author chose to revise his manuscript for high-school audiences, with the help of the editing students at Portland State University's student-run Ooligan Press. Re-reading his work after fourteen years, he found he could make distinct improvements. His legendary coming-of-age story, originally published as an adult novel by Knopf, is now stronger and more vivid than ever. Every parent of a high-school student should find it wonderfully appropriate reading. Anyone of any age who lives in the Pacific Northwest will benefit from reading this book. Place is a major character, and the story is tremendously enriching. I wish I'd read it when I moved to Oregon thirty-five years ago, and I've hastened to order copies for my born-in-Oregon children.

On the scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, I'd rate "Ricochet River" by Robin Cody as an 11. I think it is now my favorite book. Yes, I know that is a high rating, but I'm thoroughly convinced that this book deserves it. Cody's writing style, to me, is as powerful as the river he often refers to in the book; yet it flows so easily, like a conversation with grandpa on the front porch. "Ricochet River" is also a very meaningful book to me because the story takes place near my home, and near the great Columbia River that has carved so much history into this land. It is set in the 1960s in a small Oregon logging town called Calamus, just southeast of Portland. Wade is a highschool student from Calamus who narates the story. He effortlessly pieces together the story of Jesse, an Indian kid who moved to Calamus. Jesse's presence in the small logging town brought out a kind of prejudice among the townspeople. This is an historical circumstance that is not often talked about in American history, and it was very intriguing to see how Jesse dealt with it. Jesse is a natural athlete who applies his own rules to sports and life. At first, Jesse is a star in the town because of his athletic skill; until the narrowmindedness sets it. In a way, Cody's way of writing made me feel angry at the townspeople for their pre-judgement. Together Jesse and Wade venture through life's trials in the small town. Jesse brings to Wade's general interest the cultural background of his tribe through many meaningful stories. "Ricochet River" is rich in real life situations, making it easy to relate to and comprehend. I loved this book for the way that it talked about the Northwest salmon runs, and their life in which we have endangered. It is such a sensitive topic here in the Northwest, and it was really awesome to see how they were revered in the book. The ending disappointed me greatly, because I had wanted Jesse to always be there for Wade. He had brought some life into their logging-town lives, and it seemed so cruel to take that away from them. It was like the power, the engine, the air, had been taken out of the book. But, I guess that's what makes the book that much more powerful, in that it deals with one of the hardest things humans have to face in life; death. It was Wade's storytelling, and his words that made this book so good.

I read this book serveral years ago when it first came out. My review may be partially biased as Mr. Codys' mother was my first grade teacher and the fictious town of Calamus, actually Estacada, is where I graduated high school. It was a great book to read as I could make the comparisons from the fictious to the actual places. As I said before my thoughts could be a little biased but it is a book that is definately worth reading.

From a small town in Oregon to the big time. Robin Cody portrays the life, dreams, and hardships of teens in the confines of the small town of Calamus, Oregon. With supporting players like Link and Duncun, Jesse, Wade and Lorna find their way through Calamus and in to a life of their own. Jesse represents the 'trouble' of Calamus, like the weed that you can never get rid of in your flower garden. Wade is the backbone of the barbershop and Calamus, he reminds us of the rain that kept Jesse growing. Although, when it rains too much Jesse finds himself in more trouble, I think, than he anticipates. Lorna, on the other hand, finds herself stuck in the middle of these two worlds. She competes for time, to be with Wade, with the infamous Jesse. Trying to break free of Calamus, Wade, Jesse and Lorna find themselves in deeper restriction than they expected. All in different ways, however. Wade receives a acceptance letter to a prestigious college on the East side, more than two thousand miles away. Lorna, sacred and insecure, frets for acceptances to colleges close to Wade's so she wont be alone, what I think she fears the most. Jesse, brave and boisterous, wanting to conquer the world, one city at a time. Calamus, small as it may be, fought back with everything in its will to resist the changing of time and the thoughts and actions of Jesse. Unfortunately, Calamus caught up with Jesse and brought him down off of the high horse he so promptly placed himself up on. Jesse, competing for glory brought himself to a faithful ending. Maybe it's better this way, maybe not. Life is like the River, ricocheting back and forth.

Well if this doesn't explain what life is like for a teenager, then I don't think anything does. Whether you live in the Northwest or the Southeast, every teen at one point in their life has dealt with problems that Jesse and Wade deal with. This book understood me better than anyone I've met so far. It wasn't even an adventure book, a thriller, an action; it was a drama - plain and simple. And that's why I liked it. It said things straight, the way things should be said. One scene that sticks in my mind is when Jesse and Wade take Judith and Rhonda to the movies. I laugh just remembering it because the scene was so real. I can remember dates that I've been on and know exactly how these characters feel. But the thing I enjoyed most was the familiarity I felt for the surroundings described in the book. At one point in the book, Wade, Lorna, and Jesse are driving in Portland down Mcgloughlin Blvd.; I can remember going to Portland with my friends, driving down Mchloughlin Blvd. Jesse and Wade are just like every Tom, Dick, and Harry. I mean, they hang out together, talk about girls, talk about their future; just normal teenagers living their lives. In my opinion, the author never gets preachy about the meaning of life, he just leads the reader to believe that life is like a river, twisting and turning, never knowing what rocks you're going to have to go through. And at the end, when Wade and Lorna are cruising the river, it emphasizes what everyone does; they all play the game of life, trying to beat the odds, but in the end, it's the river that's still running.

Robin Cody, Ricochet River (Knopf, 1992)

So there was a big flap a couple of years ago about the new edition of Ricochet River, which got edited (in Cody's words, "I toned down one passage and cut another...") before being reprinted. So I figured I'd get my hands on it and see what all the fuss was about. First and foremost: I entirely disagree with the assertion (in the same interview from which I took the last quote-- Rachel Simon's January 26, 2005 piece in the Oregon City News) that "...sexuality is peripheral to the actual story, Cody said...". It's a coming-of-age story. Sexuality is central to it. Looking beyond the coming-of-age motif, however, sex stands at the heart of this tale of three friends on the cusp of college-- Wade, the high school sports star; Lorna, his girlfriend; and Jesse, the new kid, who's better at sports than Wade, but has a lot to learn, and a lot to teach, about life. As the book opens, Wade and Lorna are at the start of a rough patch that lasts off and on throughout the novel, and Jesse, seeing a woman in possible distress, moves on in, which colors the relationship between the three of them. How can sex be peripheral?

That's not to say that sex is the only thing explored in this novel. There's a great deal about salmon, as well (though the salmon and the sex do tie into one another intermittently), and family ties, existential teen angst, friendship, individuality, the raw deal given the Native Americans, and a whole lot of other stuff. But Wade, Lorna, and Jesse are the focus of the story, and taking away from that, however little, undercuts it. This is a good, solid novel, and it deserves to be read in its original form. ***

I am an avid reader, but tend to gravitate towards more "feminine" books in general. However, Ricochet River was a hit with me from the start. I really enjoyed the masculine, teenage point-of-view, despite my being an adult female. It was believable, funny, and good for any age. This new version has been slightly toned down to make it more appropriate for younger readers, while retaining its draw for older ones.

I absolutely loved this book. I was assigned to read this in my english class and I am extremely happy that I was. It was great. Not only did I enjoy reading it, I also enjoyed analyzing it. Determining the connection between the salmon trying to escape and not being able to, to Lorna and Wade also trying, to how only the people that live in Calamus can see the "upside down rain" was amazing. I really enjoyed it. I am really glad that Robin Cody wrote this novel. However, I was a little disappointed at the end. I was completely surprised at what happened. Craziness.

Ricochet River depicts life in a logging community. The characters Lorna, Wade, and Jesse are thrown about in an ever-changing world. The story takes place during the 1960's in a town called Calamus, where logging is the main economic industry. The characters are also defining parts of the book. The author, Robin Cody, gives each character his or her special part in the book. He shows how characters like Lorna and Wade can have their whole outlooks changed in a matter of a New York second by newcomers like Jesse. Jesse adds the cream filling to the pie since he relates traditional Indian stories to life and is the one who makes up a major part of the conflict.
With large amounts of symbolism, hard thinking is required for a better understanding of this story. The main theme of the book, which is symbolized on the cover, is the relationship between the life of a fish and the life of a human. Even if you've never seen the Columbia River in all her glory, or ever been caught alone in a forest when the sun floods through the leaves, reading this book will give a sense of those experiences. This is what the book does; it makes little things like fish, into extremely important objects that are essential for life.

Ricochet River depicts life in a logging community. The characters Lorna, Wade, and Jesse are thrown about in an ever-changing world. The story takes place during the 1960's in a town called Calamus, where logging is the main economic industry. The characters are also defining parts of the book. The author, Robin Cody, gives each character his or her special part in the book. He shows how characters like Lorna and Wade can have their whole outlooks changed in a matter of a New York second by newcomers like Jesse. Jesse adds the cream filling to the pie since he relates traditional Indian stories to life and is the one who makes up a major part of the conflict.
With large amounts of symbolism, hard thinking is required for a better understanding of this story. The main theme of the book, which is symbolized on the cover, is the relationship between the life of a fish and the life of a human. Even if you've never seen the Columbia River in all her glory, or ever been caught alone in a forest when the sun floods through the leaves, reading this book will give a sense of those experiences. This is what the book does; it makes little things like fish, into extremely important objects that are essential for life.